Toy target game



Feb. 11, 1941. 5 BERMAN 2,231,049

' TOY TARGET GAME Filed March 28, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l 65 45\ I E I 43 6o @E 65 n if; if E158 52 55 37 45 3 i': 57 ,IZ MI 54 2 53 29 114 51 5CLUI @erm c. r1

vINVENTOR BY f\ f-A ATTORNEY Feb. 1l, 1941. s. BERMAN TOY TARGET GAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VENTOR Filed Mrch 28, 1959 IVJ ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY TARGET GAME Saul Berman, New York, N. Y. Application March 28, 1939, Serial No. 264,511

3 Claims.

My invention relates to a toy target game and has reference particularly to a device having a rotary target carrier, and targets which project upwardly under the centrifugal movement of the carrier, said targets in their upright positions being adapted to register a hit if one is made.

The object of the present invention is to provide a toy target game of the character hereinafter described, which is simple and inexpensive in construction and in whi-ch the target, in its rest position, disappears substantially below the plane of the target carrier.

I accomplish the object of my invention by means of an apparatus hereinafter described and claimed.

Several embodiments of my invention have been-illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a rotary target toy. p

Figure 2 is a substantially longitudinal. sectional view of the target taken on lines 2-2 oi Figure l;

Figure 3 is a detailed plan view of the means to impart rotary movement 4to the target.

Figure 4 is partial top plan view of a rotary target carrier showing a preferred form of target;

Figure 5 is a substantially longitudinal sectional view of the target shown in Figure 4 and taken on lines 5-5 of Figure 4.

B-rieiiy the present invention provides a rotary carrier upon which a plurality of targets are hingedly connected in a manner permitting them to swing upright on the carrier during rotary movement thereof, means operatively connected to the carrier to spin the s ame'and cause it to revolve at a relatively high rate of speed to throw the targets into their upright positions under the centrifugal force created, and a gun or means for throwing a projectile against the revolving targets to knock the target, which has been hit, out of its standing position or to cause the target so hitl to retain its upright position after the carrier has come to rest.

Referring now to the drawings, and` particularly to the modification shown in Figures 1 to 3y Iii denotes a hollow base platform having a central opening II in its top wall I2. Spanning the space between opposite side walls of the base adjacent the lower sides thereof is a bridge piece i3 which is integral at its ends with the side walls and traverses a path below the opening II, corresponding to a diameter thereof. The bridge I3 carries on its upper surface a guide plate I4 and an upright spindle I5 disposed coaxially of the opening I I. The plate I4 is turned upright at its ends and slotted, as at I6, to receive and guide a slide plate I'I. The slide plate I'I is movable over and in the longitudinal line ofI the bridge I3 and its outward or radial movement is effected 5 against the action of a spring I8 which tends to retract the slide. The outer end of the slide I'I is provided with a projecting piece I9, which passes through a slot 20 in the -side wall of the base I0, and which is turned about into a hook lo 2| at its free end to accommodate a ringer of the operator and enable the -slide to be drawn outwardly against the tension of the spring I8. The slide I'I is further provided with a longitudinal slot or opening 22, through which the 15 upright spindle I5 projects, and which is pro,- Vided with a set of teeth' 23 along the mid-portion of one of its side walls. A section of the slide at its inner end is turned downwardly to form a stop 24 adapted to engage the adjacent 20 wall of the guide plate I4 to limit outward move I ment of the slide.

A pinion 25 is'loosely mounted on the upright spindle I5 and its teeth on one side are disposed in the path of movement of the teeth 23 of the 25 slide, so that by pulling outwardly upon the slide and then allowing it to retract under tension of the spring I8 the teeth 23 engage the pinion and impart to it a rotary spinning movement as they pass. The upper end of the pinion 25 carries 30 a spider 26, and the spindle l5 above the latter supports and functions as a stud bearing for the depending hub portion 21 of a rotary'turn table 2B. The spider 25 imparts its rotary movement in one direction to the table 28 through a plural- 35 ity of depending arms or dogs 29 pivotally mounted in bearings 39 on the under face of the table, each arm having an angular portion normally engaged against the under face of the table to .hold the arm rigid when engaged by an arm of 40 the spider moving in one direction and movable away from the table as the arm swings to allow the arm oi the spider to pass when moving in the opposite direction. According to this construction when the slide I'I is drawn outwardly 45 the teeth 23 engage and rotate the pinion 25 and spider 26, which engage and carry along the arms 29 and table 28 in a rotary movement. The table functions as a fly-wheel and spins at considerable speed. The slide is then released and 50 retracts, turning the spider in the opposite direction, but the latter simply swings the arms 29 aside and does not effect the table rotating in the opposite direction.

It is to be noted that the table rotating means` 55 just described is intended for use in connection with any of the modifications hereinafter described.

Referring now to the target carrier the latter 5 comprises a flat disc 3| of a diameter slightly greater than that of theopening over which it is supported by the table 28. The disc 3| is provided with a center opening 32, which ts over an upright threaded spindle 33 in the center of the table, and a second opening 34 spaced radially from the center opening to receive a pin 35 also projecting upwardly from the surface of the table 28. A nut member 36 is screwed over the threaded spindle 33 and against the disc 3| to 15 hold the units firmly together.

The rim of the disc 3| Vis provided with a depending skirt 31 and the speed of the disc 3| may be reduced by means of a brake 38 comprising a U-shaped strap disposed upon theA upper surface of the top wall I2 outside the skirt 31 and having a sliding rod 39 arranged radially of the latter and provided with a rubber shoe 4D at its inner end to engage the skirt and a spring about its opposite end beyond the strap, the eX- treme end of the rod having a head 4| against which one end of the spring abuts while the other end engages the strap. To brake the speed of the disc 3| the shoe 4|) is brought to bear against the skirt by pressing upon the head 4| against the pressure of the spring, which in turn retracts the brake when linger releases the head.

The purpose of applying the brake is to reduce the rotary speed of the disc 3| sufficiently to permit the player to gauge the position of a target carried thereby as it approaches the means used to engage or project against it.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, the targets 42 are mounted at evenly spaced intervals about the margin of the disc 3|, each target comprising a figure of a man provided with metal covered triangular head piece 43 at the outer free end and a hinge strap 44 at its lower end.

The strap 44 is bent at an angle below the figure and then rolled into a cylindrical bearing 45, and 45 beyond the bearing the strap terminates in a tangentially disposed stop 46. The disc at the proper place is provided with an opening for each target formed by cutting an I-shaped slit in the disc and turning the two portions between the slits downwardly to form parallel ears 41 which are oriiiced and support a hinge pin 45, the latter projecting through the cylindrical bearing 45 arranged between the ears 41. In normal rest position of the disc 3|, each gure or target 42 rests upon the disc along radial lines thereof.

When the disc is set in rotary motion the centrifugal force created causes the targets 42 to swing to upright position about their'hinge pins 48, the targets being prevented from swinging beyond their upright positions by contact of the stops 46 with the under surface of the disc beyond the openings thereof accommodating the hinge straps 44.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustratively exemplified in Figures 4 and5, I utilize a disc Sla of the construction and dimension given to disc 3|, except that I mount on each pin 48 a hinge 66 of a plate |51 which swings to an upwardly inclined position as the disc revolves.

The plate E1 is a relatively wide piece of material, one side being attached to the hinge 66 and the opposite edge being directed towards the center of the disc and being rolled, as at 68, see Figure 5. The upward movement of the plate 61 is limited to approximately 45 degrees from the surface of the disc, by an angular projection 69 on the hinge B6 which projects below the disc and engages against a bridge piece 14' across the slot forming the opening for the hinge pin 43.v The radial slot denoted 1| in this modification is provided at its inner end with an upturned lip or stop 12, which forms a rest for the plate E1 in its lowered position, and which enables the plate 61 to pick up and rise to its uppermost position under the centrifugal action of the rotating disc.

The target 13 in this instance is a bird, which is mounted upon an arm 14 pivotally connected at one end to a second arm 15 radially disposed with respect to the disc 3|@ and pivotally connected to disc 16 which is supported upon a center post 11 at an elevation considerably above that of the disc 3|a, as shown clearly in Figure 5 and which supports a disc 16a.

In the rest position of this modified construction, the parts take the position shown in full lines in Figure 5 with the target 13 in an upright position substantially below the plane of the upper disc 16, but when the disc Bla is spun the centrifugal force thereof causes the plate 61 to swing to its uppermost position and with it the second arm l5 under which the rolled edge 68 of the plate 61 is adapted tol contact as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5. The iirst arm 14 swings to upright position, as shown in dotted lines, under the rotary action of the disc and the target or bird 13 in its upright position appears to be in flight.

If the target 13 is hit in this elevated upright position, it is swung with the arm 14 to rest upon the disc 15a, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5. In this case, the target will not return to its position below the disc.

What I claim and desire Patent is:

l. A toy embodying therein a platform,'a rotor mounted in said platform, a disc carried by the rotor and adapted to rotate upon the platform, a lever hinged to the underside of said disc for up and down movement thereto, a target carried by said lever, means to support said target normally in an upright position substantially below the horizontal plane of said disc, and centrifugalto secure by Letters ly actuated means to swing said lever upwardly so as to lift said target into a position above said plane during rotation of said disc.

2. A toy, as claimed in claim 1, in which said target is hinged to said lever on an axis substantially at right angles to the disc radius intersecting the hinge.

3Y A toy, as claimed in claim l, in which said means to swing said lever and target upwardly comprises a second lever extending substantially radially of said disc and pivotally mounted at an elevation below said disc, said second lever being normallyA supported in an inclined position below said first lever to be swung upwardly upon rotation of said disc.

SAUL BERMAN. 

